Take a minute and picture a motorcyclist... Maybe you conjured a long-haired outlaw like Jax Teller from Sons of Anarchy. Perhaps you visualized Ewan McGregor and his motorcycle adventures abroad. Or possibly you thought of the last motorcyclist who shot past you on the Interstate.

But chances are that you thought of a man—not a woman.

There are 8.4 million motorcycles registered in the United States—a tiny number compared to the 264 million registered cars and trucks. Motorcyclists are definitely a subculture and a heavily male-dominated one at that. Only 14%–about 1.18 million—of the motorcycles on American roads are registered to women. The American Motorcyclist Association encourages more women to try motorcycling if they are interested. As the AMA’s Managing Editor Jim Witters notes, “there's always room for more riders.”

"Women riders should be as common as women drivers." 
–Maggie McNally, Chair of the American Motorcyclist Association. McNally is the first female chair of the AMA in its 94-year history.

But numbers aside, women motorcyclists simply haven’t broken through in the American popular imagination. That doesn’t mean there are no motorcycle heroines. In fact, there are many female motorcyclists who deserve broader public attention for their taboo-smashing derring-do and their insight into the souls of two-wheeled conveyances and the people who ride them. Three of them are particularly worthy of celebration: Lois Pryce, Melissa Holbrook Pierson, and Bessie Stringfield, three riders who took very different journeys on what Pierson calls “the perfect vehicle.”

One English woman rode outward across whole continents and forged personal connections in remote and forbidden countries. Her vulnerability and good humor were her strengths.

Another rode inward through her own psyche to understand the allure of motorcycles and the people who ride them. Her fearless and honest introspection were her guides.

Their spiritual ancestor rode onward to confront the institutionalized racism and sexism of Jim Crow America. Her powerful faith and personal toughness were her allies.

Read the full story here 

Ace Cafe London is hosting cafe’s annual vintage Japanese motorcycle meet with the Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club at the cafe on Sunday 2nd September. The day  includes Ace awards!
 
Spend £5 or more over the counter from 9.30am and receive a raffle ticket. Draw at 3pm.
 
 To find out more about the VJMC, founded in 1982 and now the UK’s premier club for Japanese bikes fifteen years old and over, check out.

The International Dirt Bike team is pulling out all the stops for this year’s show and has now confirmed the Bolddog FMX Display Team as yet another attraction for visitors to enjoy at Europe’s largest off-road show. As the UK’s number one freestyle motocross team, and Lings Motors and Honda UK’s official UK stunt team, the Bolddog FMX Display Team bases its show around the world’s largest and most sophisticated mobile landing system, performing all the top death-defying freestyle motocross moves!

The team appeared on our TV screens back in 2014, getting as far as the live semi-finals in ITV’s popular Britain’s Got Talent series. The team, featuring the UK’s top ranked freestyle motocross riders, left viewers and TV judges open-mouthed during their time on the show. Unlike the rest of the semi-final performances, Bolddog FMX riders filmed their entry ahead of time as ITV bosses genuinely feared for the safety of the group and deemed their stunts too dangerous for live TV!

The International Dirt Bike Show is held across four days – November 1-4 – at its now traditional home of Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire, in partnership for a third year with oil and lubricant giant MOTUL. 

Show manager Nick Mowbray said: “We are delighted to confirm that the Bolddog FMX Display Team will be performing at our 2018 event. The team pushes the boundaries of freestyle motocross and leads the way for motorcycle display teams. We cannot wait to witness those 35ft-in-the-air tricks at the Dirt Bike Show.”  

Event organiser Mortons Media Group will be looking to build on a sell-out 2017 show with an action-packed agenda to wow the crowds again this year. Advance tickets are now on sale and can be purchased online – dirtbikeshow.co.uk – or by calling 01507 529529. Prices start at £8.

If you’re new to the event and would like to find out more about booking a stand, either visit the website or call the organising team on 01507 529430. 

Dean Harrison, riding a Silicone Engineering Kawasaki, dominated the RST Superbike Classic TT Race to win the final race of the 2018 Classic TT presented by Bennetts, his fourth Classic TT win, by over a minute.

After the race he revealed that it had taken him a while to get going in the race:

“I felt like I had a bad start to be honest.  I didn’t feel a hundred per cent on the opening lap – I felt a bit wooden.  I did feel that if I needed to go faster I could do but it’s an old bike so I wanted to bring it home for the lads.”

He was also pleased with the conditions and the atmosphere around the course and thanked the marshals for supporting the event:

“The conditions were surprisingly good – the odd damp patches but because there was cloud cover there was no sunlight which can cause problems. Thanks to all the crowd, and the marshals who were out there throughout the week, for making it such a great event and atmosphere.”

Greenall Racing’s Horst Saiger had the honour of carrying the number 1 plate and was first away followed by Harrison, who had only qualified for the race as third fastest but had set his fastest qualifying lap on the opening night.

James Hillier, due to start fifth on the Oxford Products/ Louigi Moto Ducati, pulled off the grid after his bike was overheating and eventually got going about eight minutes behind the leading riders while Josh Brookes, on the Wiz Racing Norton, was also reported to have problems on the grid in 11th place and eventually started six minutes after the first rider got away.

Harrison established a lead of just over two seconds over Gary Johnson on the Team York Suzuki by the first timing point - Glen Helen - with Michael Rutter on the Team Winfield Yamaha third a further two seconds back.  Kawasaki mounted Paul Jordan (Mistral Racing) and Derek Shiels (Greenall Racing Kawasaki) completed the top five, just under and over a second back from third place, on the Mistral Racing Kawasaki and Greenall Racing Kawasaki’s respectively.

Harrison’s opening lap of 125.471 gave him a lead of over nineteen seconds from Michael Rutter (123.309) with Gary Johnson (122.980) in third almost three seconds behind Rutter.  Conor Cummins, riding the two stroke Yamaha YZR500 had moved into fourth place, less than half a second behind Johnson, with his opening lap of 122.929 with Saiger (122.247) completing the top five. Josh Brookes (121.380) had moved through the field to eighth place, half a minute behind the race leader, at the end of the opening lap.

Cummins edged ahead of Johnson at Glen Helen on the second lap and with Rutter retiring at Ballacrye, Cummins moved into second place at Ramsey, over thirty seconds behind Harrison with Johnson holding third, one and a half seconds down on the Manx rider.

Coming in to the pits at the end of the second lap, Harrison’s 126.041 gave him a lead of 37 seconds from Cummins but with Cummins (1:15.912) and Johnson (1:14.834) both experiencing lengthy pit stops – and Johnson’s subsequent retirement at Quarterbridge - Saiger moved into second place at Glen Helen on the third lap.  Paul Jordan and Andrew Dudgeon completed the top five, eighteen and twenty-three seconds down on Cummins respectively. Josh Brookes, having worked his way through the field up to seventh, lost time before Cronk Ny Mona and was reported as a retirement in the pits.

Harrison’s extended his lead over Saiger to almost a minute with a third lap of 118.013 with Cummins over ten seconds behind Saiger. Jordan and Dudgeon completing the top five with third laps of 115.499 and 116.034 respectively.

Harrison duly secured the race win with a last lap of 124.238mph from Saiger (123.560) with Cummins clinching the final podium place with his last lap of 123.832 - almost ten seconds behind Saiger.  Dudgeon moved ahead of Jordan on the last lap with Jordan experiencing problems and - with Jordan reported to have retired at Handley’s - Jamie Coward moved into fifth place. 

Suzuki has announced a limited edition Buildbase Suzuki replica GSX-R1000R, with only 50 of the special machines available. With an RRP of £19,999, all will come with a numbered fuel tank, a number of Yoshimura components, and a host of genuine accessories.

Mimicking the British Superbike and Superstock 1000 racers of Bradley Ray, Richard Cooper, and Billy McConnell with a stunning replica paint scheme, the bikes also come with a Yoshimura R11 SQ exhaust and hangar and Yoshimura mirror blanks for track use.

Genuine Suzuki accessories fitted include engine case savers, brake and clutch lever guards, paddock stand bobbins, double bubble screen, pillion seat cowl, and tank protector and fuel cap trim. The bike will also come with a Suzuki-branded Ogio kit bag, paddock stand, bike cover, and GSX-R garage mat.

The Buildbase Suzuki team has taken wins in both the superbike and superstock classes this season, and took three podium finishes last time out at Cadwell Park, with Billy McConnell also holding the National Superstock 1000 championship lead.

The GSX-R1000R Buildbase Suzuki replica – along with the standard GSX-R1000R – is available on Suzuki’s current 2,3,4% finance campaign, which allows customers to choose from two, three, or four-year deals, an APR to match, and whether they’d prefer PCP or a hire purchase agreement.

For more information find your nearest Suzuki dealership here.